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Ultimate Hive Cover Problem (Ants)

So I have Ultimate Hive covers on all of my hives (3). When I went out this morning to inspect, I found ants crawling out of two tiny holes in the underside of the cover! I thought they maybe were just visitors, but when I jarred the cover on the ground, they started spilling out in droves and some were carrying eggs. I put duct tape over the holes hoping to keep ants from getting in or out, but I don't know if that will hinder the ability of the cover to do its job.

Re: Ultimate Hive Cover Problem (Ants)

I am not familiar with the ultimate hive cover, but I have telescoping covers with an inner cover. Someone suggested putting cinnamon on the top of the inner cover to keep out the ants. It worked great! If you could get some cinnamon in the hole, that may solve your problem.

Re: Ultimate Hive Cover Problem (Ants)

I'm guessing the two tiny holes are a by-product of the manufacture of the cover but I've never seen one. If this is the case then taping is not an issue.

Ants probably were not bothering the bees but just using the space as a nest since the bees keep it nice and warm. I have little black ants (Monomorium minimum) that move into a saw dust quilt box on my warre hive every year in the early spring. They are scavengers that are feeding off the debris from the hive--whether it is pollen bits, hive trash, or dripping honey.

I just swap out the box but could keep it there if I wanted. I just don't like seeing them crawling up and down the hive all the time to forage. More of a psychological thing than anything else I guess.